The DeanBeat: My favorite games of 2020

Many people’s memories of 2020 will reflect a horrible year. But games offered us an escape from that reality. They let us maintain social distance while still connecting remotely with our friends. And they kept us sane at a time when the pandemic and the U.S. presidential election were tearing us apart. Despite an unrelenting stream of bad news, I see hope out there. So this seemed a good time to celebrate my favorite games of 2020.

I’ve never been more thankful for the game industry than this year. With good reason, the industry is expected to grow to $174.9 billion in 2020, up 19% from 2019, according to market researcher Newzoo. And I believe we hit the apex of the console generation in 2020, with awe-inspiring titles like Sony’s The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima. It was a year we were treated to two new consoles from Sony and Microsoft, a rare occasion of a double launch that put some joy back in the world. As we contemplate the year that was, we can send a message to game companies about what we hope for in the future and what kind of gaming metaverse we want to live in.